Link_________________"The likelihood of one individual being right increases in direct proportion to the intensity to which others are trying to prove him[her] wrong."
- - Harry Segall
"The best way to control the opposition is to lead it ourselves." Lenin 1917

Good rant. Just me or does Keiser look like Alan Hansen_________________JO911B.
"for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places " Eph.6 v 12

Excellent source for anti-GMO news._________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

In victory rallies across the state, supporters celebrated as the California Right to Know campaign filed 971,126 signatures for the state's first-ever ballot initiative to require labeling of genetically engineered foods. The huge signature haul, gathered in a 10-week period, is nearly double the 555,236 signatures the campaign needs to qualify for the November ballot. If passed this November, Californians will join citizens of over 40 countries including all of Europe, Japan and even China who have the right to know whether they are eating genetically engineered food. [Read More] To get involved, visit labelgmos.org

Danish farmer reports malformations, ill health in pigs fed GM soy

For our upcoming documentary, we've been documenting serious health problems in US livestock fed GMOs, and astonishing recoveries when the animals switch to non-GMO diets. An example of such effects were recently reported by Danish pig farmer lb Borup Pedersen, who has gone public with revelations that GM soy feed had devastating effects on the health of his animals and on his farming profitability. On GM soy, his pigs suffered a higher disease and death rate, and a large number of birth defects. Many of the malformations were of the same type as those found in babies born in GM soy-producing regions of South America, which are linked with Roundup exposure.

When Mr Pedersen switched to non-GM soy starting in April 2011, within two days, his pigs' massive problems with diarrhea virtually disappeared. Death from ulcers and bloat, which had claimed 36 sows (out of about 450) over the previous two years, also vanished. And deaths from loss of appetite dropped from 2 the previous year, to zero. The average number of piglets born per sow over an eight month period also jumped by about 2 pigs (from 28.1 to 29.9).

Mr Pedersen said that though non-GM soy was more expensive, the extra cost was more than compensated for by the lower medication costs for his healthier non-GM-fed pigs. And he needs less man hours. He is now making about $100 more profit per pig than when feeding GM soy.

The Danish newspaper that broke the story carried an editorial arguing that it would be irresponsible for the authorities to ignore the discoveries made by the farmer. Read a report on the farmer's experience and that of a second Danish farmer here: [Read the Report]

Kellogg's is facing anger on social media sites because of complaints that its popular Kashi brand cereal doesn't live up to the company's "natural" billing on advertisements and box covers. The controversy went viral after a Rhode Island grocer tacked a note to one of his store shelves, telling customers he wouldn't sell the cereal because he found out the brand used GM, non-organic ingredients. Photos of the note began popping up on Facebook pages and food blogs as some consumers claimed Kellogg's was misrepresenting its cereal.

Kellogg's got itself into trouble by "not being entirely transparent," says Roger Nyhus, president of Nyhus Communications in Seattle. He sees a trend among some companies "of fudging language to allay consumer concerns and jump on the green bandwagon, and I think it's starting to backfire."

While the "natural" claim made by Kashi is well worth scrutiny, it is true that 7 of Kashi's cereals are verified by the Non-GMO Project and are listed in our Non-GMO Shopping Guide as well as on The Non-GMO Project's website. [Read the Article]

Agent Orange Crops denounced by farmers and consumers

Dow AgroSciences and Monsanto are racing to roll out GM crops resistant to 2,4-D (a component in Agent Orange) and dicamba, as a way to counter rapidly spreading herbicide-resistant weeds that are choking millions of acres of US farmland. These crops would massively increase the use of these acutely toxic chemicals, and cause unprecedented harm to agriculture and the environment. Wind, heat, and humidity can cause these chemicals to become airborne, drift for miles, and then damage gardens, crops, and trees.

Jeffrey Smith's interview by CBS.com [Watch the Video] Coalition of more than 2,000 farmers and food companies taking legal action [Read the Article]

US farm costs soar as Roundup fails

As Roundup fails under the onslaught of resistant weeds, farmers are being forced to spend more and use more chemicals to control the weeds that threaten yields. "I've gone from budgeting $45 an acre just two years ago to spending more than $100 an acre now to control weeds," said Mississippi farmer John McKee, who grows corn, cotton and soybeans on his 3,300-acre farm in the Delta. [Read the Article]

Mother takes on Monsanto, wins global prize

Thirteen years ago in Argentina, Sofia Gatica's newborn baby died of kidney failure after being exposed to pesticides sprayed on GM soy. She investigated disease rates in her local community and discovered the cancer rate was 41 times the national average and rates of neurological problems, respiratory diseases and infant mortality were astonishingly high. Sofia and her fellow activists, the Mothers of Ituzaingo, went to court and won a municipal "buffer zone" ordinance, prohibiting aerial spraying less than 2,500 meters from homes. Now Sofia has been awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in San Francisco. [Read the Article] See also video: 2012 Goldman Prize Winner for South and Central America: Sofia Gatica [Watch the Video]

Monsanto props up weak GM crop price

When Australian state governments were considering lifting their bans on GM canola in 2007, local activist groups invited Jeffrey Smith to conduct a national tour, where he met with numerous politicians, farmers, consumers, and media. In addition to warning about the documented health risks of GMOs, he offered economic data from other countries to demonstrate that introducing GM canola would close some markets and sacrifice Australian farmers' non-GMO price premium. The states that went ahead with planting GM canola are now suffering closed markets and lower prices. Monsanto is trying to prop up the prices of the unwanted GMOs. [Read the Article]

Tell the US Food and Drug Administration genetically modified ingredients do not belong in infant formula and baby food. [Sign the Petition]

Support GMO Labeling in Connecticut

The state of Connecticut is poised to make history. Right To Know CT has been informed that the Speaker of the House, Christopher Donovan, is now in support of the GMO labeling bill and plans to call it for a vote within the next two days. We have gathered over 8,000 signatures in just five days. [Sign the petition]

Watch Jeffrey Smith and others discuss the bill at the State Capital.[Watch the Video] Listen to Jeffrey speak at the CT chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association [Listen to the Audio]

Wake up, Truthers!!!

This stuff is extremely important; GMO's are brought to us by the same genocidal war criminals that gave us 9/11, 7/7, WWI & WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and so on, and who plan to decimate many times over the human population with wars, famines, climate manipulation and desighner 'pandemics'._________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

In a study published in “Food and Chemical Toxicology”, researchers led by Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini from CRIIGEN have found that rats fed on a diet containing NK603 Roundup tolerant GM maize or given water containing Roundup, at levels permitted in drinking water and GM crops in the US, developed cancers faster and died earlier than rats fed on a standard diet. They suffered breast cancer and severe liver and kidney damage.

and:
Dr. Laibow featured in Jesse Ventura 'Bilderberg' video; Jesse is a great 'Truther', but a ham actor. When he is questioned about 9/11 or anything of consequence, he answers impeccably; but in his 'Conspiracy Theories', although putting across the goods, he does it in a rather 'Show Biz' way; give the guy a break, he has to earn a living. And like Alex Jones, he gets the stuff out to people we otherwise would not reach:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-r4DGx04gI_________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

In victory rallies across the state, supporters celebrated as the California Right to Know campaign filed 971,126 signatures for the state's first-ever ballot initiative to require labeling of genetically engineered foods. The huge signature haul, gathered in a 10-week period, is nearly double the 555,236 signatures the campaign needs to qualify for the November ballot. If passed this November, Californians will join citizens of over 40 countries including all of Europe, Japan and even China who have the right to know whether they are eating genetically engineered food. [Read More] To get involved, visit labelgmos.org

Danish farmer reports malformations, ill health in pigs fed GM soy

For our upcoming documentary, we've been documenting serious health problems in US livestock fed GMOs, and astonishing recoveries when the animals switch to non-GMO diets. An example of such effects were recently reported by Danish pig farmer lb Borup Pedersen, who has gone public with revelations that GM soy feed had devastating effects on the health of his animals and on his farming profitability. On GM soy, his pigs suffered a higher disease and death rate, and a large number of birth defects. Many of the malformations were of the same type as those found in babies born in GM soy-producing regions of South America, which are linked with Roundup exposure.

When Mr Pedersen switched to non-GM soy starting in April 2011, within two days, his pigs' massive problems with diarrhea virtually disappeared. Death from ulcers and bloat, which had claimed 36 sows (out of about 450) over the previous two years, also vanished. And deaths from loss of appetite dropped from 2 the previous year, to zero. The average number of piglets born per sow over an eight month period also jumped by about 2 pigs (from 28.1 to 29.9).

Mr Pedersen said that though non-GM soy was more expensive, the extra cost was more than compensated for by the lower medication costs for his healthier non-GM-fed pigs. And he needs less man hours. He is now making about $100 more profit per pig than when feeding GM soy.

The Danish newspaper that broke the story carried an editorial arguing that it would be irresponsible for the authorities to ignore the discoveries made by the farmer. Read a report on the farmer's experience and that of a second Danish farmer here: [Read the Report]

Kellogg's is facing anger on social media sites because of complaints that its popular Kashi brand cereal doesn't live up to the company's "natural" billing on advertisements and box covers. The controversy went viral after a Rhode Island grocer tacked a note to one of his store shelves, telling customers he wouldn't sell the cereal because he found out the brand used GM, non-organic ingredients. Photos of the note began popping up on Facebook pages and food blogs as some consumers claimed Kellogg's was misrepresenting its cereal.

Kellogg's got itself into trouble by "not being entirely transparent," says Roger Nyhus, president of Nyhus Communications in Seattle. He sees a trend among some companies "of fudging language to allay consumer concerns and jump on the green bandwagon, and I think it's starting to backfire."

While the "natural" claim made by Kashi is well worth scrutiny, it is true that 7 of Kashi's cereals are verified by the Non-GMO Project and are listed in our Non-GMO Shopping Guide as well as on The Non-GMO Project's website. [Read the Article]

Agent Orange Crops denounced by farmers and consumers

Dow AgroSciences and Monsanto are racing to roll out GM crops resistant to 2,4-D (a component in Agent Orange) and dicamba, as a way to counter rapidly spreading herbicide-resistant weeds that are choking millions of acres of US farmland. These crops would massively increase the use of these acutely toxic chemicals, and cause unprecedented harm to agriculture and the environment. Wind, heat, and humidity can cause these chemicals to become airborne, drift for miles, and then damage gardens, crops, and trees.

Jeffrey Smith's interview by CBS.com [Watch the Video] Coalition of more than 2,000 farmers and food companies taking legal action [Read the Article]

US farm costs soar as Roundup fails

As Roundup fails under the onslaught of resistant weeds, farmers are being forced to spend more and use more chemicals to control the weeds that threaten yields. "I've gone from budgeting $45 an acre just two years ago to spending more than $100 an acre now to control weeds," said Mississippi farmer John McKee, who grows corn, cotton and soybeans on his 3,300-acre farm in the Delta. [Read the Article]

Mother takes on Monsanto, wins global prize

Thirteen years ago in Argentina, Sofia Gatica's newborn baby died of kidney failure after being exposed to pesticides sprayed on GM soy. She investigated disease rates in her local community and discovered the cancer rate was 41 times the national average and rates of neurological problems, respiratory diseases and infant mortality were astonishingly high. Sofia and her fellow activists, the Mothers of Ituzaingo, went to court and won a municipal "buffer zone" ordinance, prohibiting aerial spraying less than 2,500 meters from homes. Now Sofia has been awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize in San Francisco. [Read the Article] See also video: 2012 Goldman Prize Winner for South and Central America: Sofia Gatica [Watch the Video]

Monsanto props up weak GM crop price

When Australian state governments were considering lifting their bans on GM canola in 2007, local activist groups invited Jeffrey Smith to conduct a national tour, where he met with numerous politicians, farmers, consumers, and media. In addition to warning about the documented health risks of GMOs, he offered economic data from other countries to demonstrate that introducing GM canola would close some markets and sacrifice Australian farmers' non-GMO price premium. The states that went ahead with planting GM canola are now suffering closed markets and lower prices. Monsanto is trying to prop up the prices of the unwanted GMOs. [Read the Article]

Tell the US Food and Drug Administration genetically modified ingredients do not belong in infant formula and baby food. [Sign the Petition]

Support GMO Labeling in Connecticut

The state of Connecticut is poised to make history. Right To Know CT has been informed that the Speaker of the House, Christopher Donovan, is now in support of the GMO labeling bill and plans to call it for a vote within the next two days. We have gathered over 8,000 signatures in just five days. [Sign the petition]

Watch Jeffrey Smith and others discuss the bill at the State Capital.[Watch the Video] Listen to Jeffrey speak at the CT chapter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association [Listen to the Audio]

Wake up, Truthers!!!

This stuff is extremely important; GMO's are brought to us by the same genocidal war criminals that gave us 9/11, 7/7, WWI & WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and so on, and who plan to decimate many times over the human population with wars, famines, climate manipulation and desighner 'pandemics'.

And now, Institute for Responsible Technology report:

Monsanto & friends are spending over $1 million a day to fight GMO labeling and defeat Prop. 37. YOU CAN HELP. JOIN the VOLUNTEERS to FIGHT BACK NOW!

In less than 2 weeks, Californians will vote on Prop. 37. This is an historic campaign - it would mean that for the first time in the United States, consumers would have the right to know if the food they are eating has been genetically tampered with by chemical companies. Nearly one million Californians signed their names to put the California Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act – aka Prop 37 - on the ballot, and over 90% of Americans say they support labeling GMOs. BUT RIGHT NOW, the world's largest pesticide and junk food companies, led by Monsanto, DuPont, Dow Chemical, Pepsi, Kraft & Coca Cola have invested over $40 million and are spending $1 million per day to deceive Californians. They are flooding the state with misleading ads to confuse and scare the voters and to trick people into voting against their own best interests. And it's working. In the past week our poll numbers have dropped from 61% to 48%. WE MUST FIGHT BACK.

Here are the ways YOU can help to fight back:

1.If you live in California, click here to find your local leader and get involved. You can be a part of history in the making and help your state pass groundbreaking legislation. Your help will make a difference!
2.Click here to Volunteer for our national phone bank to help us reach 1 million more Californians before Election Day, November 6! It's super easy to volunteer. Sign up for a shift of your choice based on your availability. This is a close race and your calls may bring home the deciding votes. You can make a difference. We know we can win with your help! We are in the home stretch. California needs your help NOW.

Please pass this on to friends and family who would be interested as well.

The truth is getting out! Together we can overcome the dirty campaign efforts of chemical and big food bullies! With your help, we can win!

Thank you,

Institute for Responsible Technology Food Policy Fund_________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

Monsanto marching blithely on, having found a (conveniently placed?) 'loophole' in EU regulations; they have aspirations to totally control ALL food via patents! Here, is just another step on that path, and know that Euro 'bureauprats' are not likely to be a very good bastion of supporting justice against Multinationals.

AVAAZ (for all their flaws!) do fight the 'good fight' on occassion, and this online petition is one of those times; please sign up:

As Dr. Suzuki explains, the problem with genetic engineering has to do with the fact that GE plants and animals are created using horizontal gene transfer (also called horizontal inheritance), as contrasted with vertical gene transfer, which is the mechanism in natural reproduction.

Vertical gene transfer, or vertical inheritance, is the transmission of genes from the parent generation to offspring via sexual or asexual reproduction, i.e., breeding a male and female from one species.

By contrast, horizontal gene transfer involves injecting a gene from one species into a completely different species, which yields unexpected and often unpredictable results. Proponents of GE assume they can apply the principles of vertical inheritance to horizontal inheritance, and according to Dr. Suzuki, this assumption is flawed in just about every possible way and is “just lousy science.”...'_________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

The US Supreme Court came down solidly on the side of the agricultural giant Monsanto on Monday, ruling unanimously that an Indiana farmer could not use patented genetically modified soybeans to create new seeds without paying the company.

The case – which was cast by the farmer's supporters as a classic tale of David vs Goliath – could well dictate the future of modern farming.

In an unanimous ruling written by Justice Elena Kagan, the court ruled that the farmer, Vernon Bowman, had infringed on Monsanto's patent for its GM soybeans when he bought some of those seeds from a local grain elevator and planted them for a second, late-season crop. Monsanto sued, arguing that Bowman had signed a contract when he initially bought the Roundup Ready soybeans in the spring, agreeing not to save any of the harvest for replanting. The seeds are genetically modified to be resistant to Roundup Ready weedkiller.

On Monday, the nine justices agreed. Kagan rejected the farmer's main argument, that Monsanto's patent was exhausted, because he had bought the seeds from a grain elevator. "Patent exhaustion does not permit a farmer to reproduce patented seeds through planting and harvesting without the patent holder's permission," she wrote.

Bowman, who is in his 70s, grew up in south-western Indiana and has farmed the same stretch of land for most of the past four decades. He had for years been faithfully signing contracts with Monsanto for his main soybean crop. More than 90% of the soybean grown in the mid-west is believed to be GM strains, like Round-Up Ready. But Bowman got into trouble when he decided to buy up junk seed from a local grain elevator and use it for a second, late-season planting. The advantage to the farmer was that such seeds were cheaper than the price demanded by Monsanto, and the late-season plantings were a riskier crop.

Monsanto sued, arguing that it maintained patent rights on the GM seeds even after sold on by a third party, and won a settlement of $84,456 (£53,500) which was upheld on Monday.

"In the case at hand, Bowman planted Monsanto's patented soybeans solely to make and market replicas of them, thus depriving the company of the reward patent law provides for the sale of each article. Patent exhaustion provides no haven for that conduct. We accordingly affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit."

Monsanto said the ruling would help shore up the US patent system, and encourage greater innovation.

"The Court's ruling today ensures that longstanding principles of patent law apply to breakthrough 21st century technologies that are central to meeting the growing demands of our planet and its people," David Snively, the company's general counsel, said in a statement on the company's website. "The ruling also provides assurance to all inventors throughout the public and private sectors that they can and should continue to invest in innovation that feeds people, improves lives, creates jobs, and allows America to keep its competitive edge."

Kagan said it was a narrow ruling. But some commentators said the decision could offer greater protection to those with patents on products that can be self-replicated, like cell lines and software.

The decision will be seen as a big defeat for those who had looked to Bowman's case to challenge the growing power over modern farming that is wielded by giant agricultural and biotech firms. By the start of this year, Monsanto had filed 144 lawsuits against 466 farmers and small farm businesses alleging patent infringement, according to a report from the Centre for Food Safety which has championed Bowman's case.

The report noted that three big companies now control more than half of the global seed market – a position that has sent prices soaring. The report said the average cost of planting an acre of soybeans had risen 325% between 1995 and 2011.

But the really sick thing is Monsanto sues farmers who don't want their 'Frankenstein' seeds, but are accidentally (or otherwise!!) contaminated with them.
See 'The World According to Monsanto':
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VEZYQF9WlE_________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

Last edited by outsider on Tue Jul 30, 2013 6:49 pm; edited 1 time in total

says a lot when the french, who eat frogs legs and snails, reject Monsanto_________________JO911B.
"for we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities, against powers, against rulers of the darkness of this world, against wicked spirits in high places " Eph.6 v 12

'It was “supposed” to be harmless to humans and animals—the perfect weed killer. Now a groundbreaking article just published in the journal Entropy points to Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide, and more specifically its active ingredient glyphosate, as devastating—possibly “the most important factor in the development of multiple chronic diseases and conditions that have become prevalent in Westernized societies.”

That’s right. The herbicide sprayed on most of the world’s genetically engineered crops—and which gets soaked into the food portion—is now linked to “autism … gastrointestinal issues such as inflammatory bowel disease, chronic diarrhea, colitis and Crohn’s disease, obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression, cancer, cachexia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and ALS, among others.”...'_________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

Last year several major food companies made a fatal brand error by betting against the American people. During the 2012 election, major food and pesticide companies donated more than $46 million to run a ruthlessly deceptive campaign to defeat Prop 37, a ballot initiative to label genetically engineered foods in California.

Coming in as the #3 top donor, behind pesticide and biotech giants Monsanto and DuPont, was PepsiCo, the conglomerate beverage and junk food company who dumped in a total of $2,485,400 to deny Americans their right to know what’s in their food. Because of Pepsi’s financial support, Prop 37 and GMO labeling lost by a narrow margin of 48.6% to 51.4%. Pepsi’s contribution was a direct assault on the American ideals of openness, transparency and democracy.

Now Pepsi is using celebrity endorsements and events like the Super Bowl Halftime Show to whitewash their deceptive brand, hiding behind the celebrity and popularity of Beyoncé to cover up their betrayal of democracy.

Take the pledge to boycott Pepsi's dishonest and deceptive brands, like Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Tropicana, Frito-Lays, Lays and Cheetos - and ask Beyoncé to end her celebrity endorsement of PepsiCo's junk food empire.

Tell Pepsi to Kiss Monsanto Goodbye! Click here to download our Refresh Democracy, #BoycottPepsi graphic to remind you who supports GMOs and Monsanto and who's against your right to know!_________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

There are to be Demos against Monsanto in some 20 countries; in London there is one in Parliament Square at 14.00 tomorrow, Saturday 25th May.

I don't expect there will be a very big meeting; unfortunately, it has been very poorly advertised, almost completely through Facebook, something I don't trust. Still, I hope it does get a big crowd.
This GMO business is extremely important; not for me personally, as I'm passed my three score years and ten 'sell-by' date, with no family. But for you younger folks, it is highly significant that Monsanto can poison you with impunity, and with the blessings of the US government (and how long before Eurocrats in Brussels cave in?).

Already 1,500 US farmers have been succesfully sued by Monsanto for having been contaminated by Monsanto's Frankenstein Genetics.
Yes, instead of the principal of 'the polluter pays', in the US, this is reversed in the case of GMO's, and 'the victim of pollution pays'. Incredible, but true._________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

'you think it’s tough sorting truth from industry propaganda and lies, get ready for even tougher times ahead. More than 50 front groups, working on behalf of food and biotechnology trade groups―Monsanto being the most prominent―have formed a new coalition called Alliance to Feed the Future.

The alliance, which is being coordinated by the International Food Information Council (IFIC), was created to "balance the public dialogue” on modern agriculture and large-scale food production and technology, i.e. this group will aim to become the go-to source for “real” information about the junk being sold as “food.”

The groups comprising this new alliance represent multi-national food companies, biotech industry, and chemical companies that generate hundreds of billions of dollars worth of revenue from food related sales every year....'

Front Groups Exposed—50 Industry Groups Form a New Alliance to Manipulate Public Opinion About Junk Food, GMOs, and Harmful Additives:

They recently suceeded (narrowly) in stopping mandatory labelling of GMO's in California._________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

This weekend, the UK government will host a "nutrition for growth" summit in London. The meeting is expected to expand the G8's new alliance for food security and nutrition, a special initiative launched in 2012 to mobilise private capital for investment in African agriculture.

We all agree that African agriculture is in need of support and investment. So it's good news, right?

Sadly, no. The new alliance prioritises unprecedented access for multinational companies to resources in Africa. To access cash under the initiative, African governments have to make far-reaching changes to their land, seed and farming policies.

For a disturbing read, take a look at the new alliance's co-operation frameworks with countries. Mozambique, for example, is committed to "systematically ceasing to distribute free and unimproved [non-commercial] seeds to farmers except in emergencies". The new alliance will lock poor farmers into buying increasingly expensive seeds – including genetically modified seeds – allow corporate monopolies in seed selling, and escalate the loss of precious genetic diversity in seeds – absolutely key in the fight against hunger. It will also open the door to genetically modified (GM) crops in Africa by stopping farmers' access to traditional local varieties and forcing them to buy private seeds.

GE crops are typically far more contaminated with glyphosate than conventional crops, courtesy of the fact that they’re engineered to withstand extremely high levels of Roundup without perishing along with the weed.

A new peer-reviewed report authored by Anthony Samsel, a retired science consultant, and a long time contributor to the Mercola.com Vital Votes Forum, and Dr. Stephanie Seneff, a research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), reveals how glyphosate wrecks human health.

In the interview above, Dr. Seneff summarizes the two key problems caused by glyphosate in the diet:
•Nutritional deficiencies
•Systemic toxicity

Their findings make the need for labelling all the more urgent, and the advice to buy certified organic all the more valid....'_________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

In this appeal for another online petition against Monsanto by 'SumOfUs' there are a couple of very good developments: a US Appeals Court has forbidden Monsanto from sueing farmers whose crops get 'inadvertantly' laced with Monsanto's 'Frankengenes', and also the claim that Monsanto has stopped lobbying the EU to accept their products:

Monsanto has spent the past three decades wrecking our environment, poisoning our bodies, and pushing species of crops to the verge of extinction with a wide array of toxic products. And Monsanto's signature herbicide, Roundup, does all these things at once -- but Monsanto has lied over and over and said that the product is perfectly safe. Yet independent research has found the chemical is creating herbicide-resistant superweeds, making a species of butterfly extinct, and disrupting normal human body functions.

Monsanto has inflicted awful damage upon the Earth and its inhabitants, but the company is finally facing significant blowback. Now, while the tide in the ongoing war of consumers vs. the agriculture giant is swinging our way, it is the time to call on Monsanto to tell the truth about the effects of Roundup.

Tell Monsanto: Stop ignoring the deadly effects of your top herbicide. Provide more information about the real effects of Roundup.

After years of lobbying European governments to allow the cultivation of Monsanto GMO plants and seeds, Monsanto finally quit lobbying because the company could not gain support on the continent. This week, an American appeals court has prevented Monsanto from suing farmers that might inadvertently grow Monsanto laced crops.

We're standing as consumers, shareholders and citizens of the world to say “enough is enough” and demanding Monsanto stop lying that Roundup is safe and start putting strict limits on the amount of Roundup it sells to any one area until we know more. Every day we delay is another species near extinction, another superweed created, another child who falls sick. But every signature we get brings us one step closer to stopping Monsanto from destroying our planet with Roundup -- and showing Monsanto that we won't let it continue leading us down that path of destruction.

Monsanto: Stop lying that Roundup is safe and put strict limits on its use.

Thanks for all you do,
Angus, Martin, Kaytee and the rest of us.

**********
More Information:

How Monsanto Went From Selling Aspirin to Controlling Our Food Supply, AlterNet, 18 April, 2013
Heavy use of herbicide Roundup linked to health dangers-U.S. study, Reuters, 25 April, 2013
Monsanto’s Roundup Shown to be Ravaging Butterfly Population, Natural Society, 6 March, 2012_________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

Arguing against the Sanders Amendment, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), the chair of the Agriculture Committee, said that the amendment “ . . . would interfere with the FDA’s science-based process to determine what food labeling is necessary for consumers.” Stabenow’s statement shows either her ignorance of, or dismissal of, the existing scientific evidence that GE food has been linked to everything from allergies to kidney failure to cancer.

But Stabenow’s real argument was one of efficiency.

“It’s also important to note that around the world now we are seeing genetically modified crops that have the ability to resist crop diseases and improve nutritional content and survive drought conditions in many developing countries. . . We see wonderful work being done by foundations like the Gates Foundation and others, that are using new techniques to be able to feed hungry people.”

Let’s forget for a moment that Stabenow took in $739,926 in campaign contributions from Big Ag in 2012. Or that Bill Gates is a Monsanto shareholder. Or that there’s plenty of evidence refuting the claim that GMO crops can solve world hunger, improve nutrition or survive drought. The focus on efficiency over health and safety, when we’re talking about our food, should be enough to set off alarm bells. Claiming efficiency, whether it’s a valid claim or not, as a reason to trample states’ rights to make their own decisions regarding food and agriculture, should have us thinking “slippery slope.”_________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

'Australia's system of organic certification will come under intense scrutiny when two neighbouring farmers do battle in the Western Australian Supreme Court in a test case on genetically modified crop contamination.

Organic farmer Steve Marsh, from Kojonup in the state's Great Southern region, is suing his neighbour Michael Baxter for alleged negligence and nuisance.

He says he is prepared to risk his 480-hectare property to defend his right to farm without interference.

"It's totally about freedom of choice," Mr Marsh said.

"The GM proponents, they've argued for their rights to grow and use GM, this tool in the toolbox.

"All I'm asking is for the same right to be able to produce a GM-free product which we've traditionally done for years.

"I think that's very important because as farmers we should have the right to run our business and produce products that we choose to."...'_________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

Agriculture is a complete 'system' based on inter-related factors, and in order to maintain ecological balance and health, you must understand how that system works as a whole.

Any time you change one part of that system, you change the interaction of all the other components, because they work together. It is simply impossible to change just one minor aspect without altering the entire system…

Dr. Huber's research, which spans over 55 years, has been devoted to looking at how the agricultural system can be managed for more effective crop production, better disease control, improved nutrition, and safety. The introduction of genetically engineered crops has dramatically affected and changed all agricultural components:
•The plants
•The physical environment
•The dynamics of the biological environment, and
•Pests and diseases (plant-, animal-, and human diseases)

In this interview, Dr. Huber reveals a number of shocking facts that need to become common knowledge in order to stop this catastrophic alteration and destruction of our environment, our food supply, and ultimately, our own biology. I urge you to listen to the interview in its entirety, or read through the transcript to understand fully appreciate the importance of this development.

Herbicides and Pesticides Immobilize Specific Nutrients

One of the major modifications done to genetically engineered food crops is the introduction of herbicide resistance. Monsanto is the leader in this field, with their patented Roundup Ready corn, cotton, soybean and sugar beets, which can survive otherwise lethal doses of glyphosate—the active ingredient in Roundup.

The working premise is that by making the plants resistant to the herbicide, farmers can increase yield by cutting down on weed growth. This premise has been found to be severely flawed however, as farmers around the world are now losing acreage to glyphosate-resistant super-weeds at an alarming rate. According to the British Institute of Science in Society, the US has fared the worst, now combating 13 different glyphosate-resistant weed species in 73 different locations.

But the introduction of glyphosate-resistance has also had a direct impact on soil microbes.

While the link between an herbicide (which is directed toward plants) and soil microbes may not be immediately apparent, this ripple effect occurs because, again, it's an inter-related system. In a nutshell, herbicides are chelators that form a barrier around specific nutrients, preventing whatever life form is seeking to utilize that element from utilizing it properly. That applies both to plants and soil microbes—as well as animals and humans.

This may actually be one of the primary reasons why genetically engineered foods appear to be able to cause such profound health problems in those who consume them. Any organism that has the same physiological pathways for these nutrients will be impacted in the same manner.

Dr. Huber explains:

"You have to realize what an herbicide, or a pesticide, is. They are metal chelators. In other words, they immobilize specific nutrients… [I]t's a compound that can grab onto another element and change either its solubility or its availability for the critical function it has physiologically. We have herbicides and pesticides that are quite specific just for a particular essential micronutrient like copper, zinc, iron, or manganese.

Glyphosate is very unique and was first patented as a chelator by Stauffer Chemical Co. in 1964, because it could bind with any positively charged ion. If you look at the essential minerals for plants, you see calcium, magnesium, potassium, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, and all of those other critical transition elements, as well as structural components for some of them… They all have an ion associated with them. It's the micronutrient that is an ion—that is a transition element, or that element that is really critical for a particular enzyme function.

If you can chelate and, in that chelation process, essentially immobilize that essential nutrient, you have provided an opportunity to either kill a weed or damage and kill an organism—any organism… that have that particular requirement for that physiologic pathway with glyphosate or the shikimate pathway…

You have to realize that this mode of action immobilizes a critical essential nutrient. Those nutrients aren't just required by the weed, but they're required by microorganisms. They're required by us for our own physiologic functions. So if it's immobilized, it may be present if we do a regular test. But it's not necessarily physiologically available in the same efficiency that it would have been if it wasn't chelated with glyphosate…"

The Dangers of Glyphosate that Most People Have NO Idea Of

Glyphosate, even in plants genetically engineered to withstand it, affects about 25 different enzymes in the process of chelating, or immobilizing, critical micronutrients, because those ions (the micronutrients) are required in order to "drive" the physiological engines that make the plant or organism function properly.

"It is well documented that… having that foreign gene inserted reduces the capability of that plant to take up nutrients and to translocate nutrients," Dr. Huber says. "Then, when you apply the chemical [glyphosate], you have a further compounding effect in reducing the efficiency of the plants at rates as low as 12 grams per acre."

According to Dr. Huber, the nutritional efficiency of genetically engineered (GE) plants is profoundly compromised. Micronutrients such as iron, manganese and zinc can be reduced by as much as 80-90 percent in GE plants!

Many staunch defenders of genetically engineered foods are under the misconception that GE foods are "better" or have improved nutrition when the exact opposite is true. They also don't understand that the glyphosate residue cannot be removed or washed off—it actually becomes part of the plant. It cannot be washed off because it's systemic within the plant itself.

"It's going to be in your root tips, your shoot tips, your legume nodules, and in the food that you eat," Dr. Huber warns.

Furthermore, about 20 percent of the glyphosate migrates out of the plant's roots and into the surrounding soil. Once in the soil, the glyphosate affects beneficial soil microorganisms in the same way that it affects weeds, because they have the same critical metabolic pathway. With each new Roundup Ready crop approved, the glyphosate residues in the soil increases, and the tolerance levels in the crop increases as well.

This is explosive information that should make warning bells go off in most people's heads! Personally, I firmly believe we must all become activists to eliminate this threat to our food supply as soon as possible.

Food Quality is Related to Soil Quality

The quality of the food is almost always related to the quality of the soil. The most foundational and critical components of the soil are the microorganisms that thrive there—more so than the necessary nutrients, because it's the microorganisms that allow the plants to utilize those nutrients.

According to Dr. Huber:

"The plant can only utilize certain [reduced] forms of all the nutrients… The way that it becomes reduced in the soil is through those beneficial microorganisms. We also have microorganisms for legumes like soybeans, alfalfa, peas, or any of the other legumes that can fix up to 75 percent of their actual nitrogen for protein in amino acid synthesis that actually comes from the air through the microorganisms in the soil.

Glyphosate is extremely toxic to all of those organisms.

What we see with our continued use and abuse of this powerful weed killer is that it is also totally eliminating many of those organisms from the soil. We no longer have the same balance that we used to have. Consequently, we see an increase of over 40 new plant diseases, and diseases we used to have under fairly effective control, which now all of a sudden is another serious problem."

GE Foods Fueling Deadly Botulism in Cattle

The normal biological control organisms—the beneficial gut bacteria—in animals and humans are also very sensitive to residual glyphosate levels.

For example, toxic botulism is now becoming a more common cause of death in dairy cows whereas such deaths used to be extremely rare. The reason it didn't occur before was because beneficial organisms served as natural controls to keep the Clostridium botulinum in check. Without them, the Clostridium botulinum is allowed to proliferate in the animal's intestines and produce lethal amounts of toxins.

"Again, the agricultural system, as well as our own ecology, is really a balance," Dr. Huber says. "It's a system, not just a bunch of silver bullets that are stacked in a chamber of a revolver. It's how that ecological system is modified and changed that brings us a new level of diseases and problems with sustainability of our agriculture, our own health, and well-being."

MOST Major US Food Crops are Now Genetically Engineered!

Many still don't realize just how much of our food supply has been genetically engineered (GE). As of this year, 93 percent of soybeans grown in the US are genetically engineered, as are:
•86 percent of all corn
•93 percent of canola
•93 percent of cottonseed oil

Between 2008 and 2009, a full 95 percent of all sugarbeets planted were also Roundup Ready.

This means that virtually every processed food you encounter at your local supermarket that does not bear the "100% USDA Organic" label is likely to contain at least one GE component! Earlier this year, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) also deregulated genetically engineered alfalfa, which is a perennial crop commonly used in cattle feed.

According to Dr. Huber:

"Alfalfa is our fourth most important economic crop, by far the most nutritional feed for our herbivores. They, all of a sudden, can definitely be threatened—not only because of the direct effect of glyphosate on microorganisms, but also because it predisposes and can make that plant very susceptible to some common diseases…

We see this on corn… where we have the sister organism with the Goss's wilt, a bacterial disease. In that situation, we find that when we put glyphosate on, it nullifies all the genetic resistance that, in the past, made that disease of almost no consequence…Now we find it from coast to coast, East to West, from Mexico to Canada. For four years now, we have a major epidemic in a major food production area in the Midwest, just from that disease.

That is a direct result of our genetic engineering process, which reduces the genetic resistance, and the application of the herbicide that it was designed to tolerate."

Important Questions Still Unanswered…

According to Dr. Huber, there's currently enough residual glyphosate in animal feed and food to make an otherwise benign organism lethal…

Unfortunately, research is still lacking to ascertain exactly how great the risk to human health is. It's possible that those who do not consume an all-organic diet, which is the majority of Americans, to some extent or another, are destroying their gut flora with every bite of food they eat. According to Dr. Huber, the reduction in mineral content through chelation by glyphosate residues in GE plants would certainly make you far more susceptible to potentially dangerous pathogens.

Studies have already confirmed that glyphosate alters and destroys beneficial gut flora in animals, as evidenced by the increasing instances of lethal botulism in cattle.

I've written extensively about the importance of your gut flora on your health. You NEED beneficial bacteria in your gut, or health problems are virtually guaranteed. Optimizing your gut flora may be one of the single most important things you can do to maintain good physical and mental health, so the fact that GE foods may be adversely impacting your intestinal balance is of extreme importance and needs to be understood.

Another important question that does not at present have an answer is whether or not glyphosate accumulates in animal- and human tissues once consumed. We don't even know if glyphosate is fat-soluble, which would definitely make it accumulate in fat tissues.

GE Foods Brings Brand New Threat

Earlier this year, Dr. Huber wrote a letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, informing him of the issues discussed above, as well as another groundbreaking new finding that could spell absolute disaster for our entire food supply. It's a brand new micro-fungal organism associated with something called Sudden Death Syndrome (SDS) in soy. It's also found in a large variety of livestock given GE feed who experience both spontaneous abortions and infertility.

Dr. Huber urged the USDA to investigate the matter and suspend approval of GE alfalfa until proper studies have been completed. His warnings have so far been largely ignored, and GE alfalfa was deregulated earlier this year…

"When you look at the tremendous increase in human diseases that can have a potential tie directly back to either the chemical or the engineering process, it's critical for that research to be done as quickly as possible. We need resources to do it. The private funds, again, aren't going to do everything because there's just too much to be done."

The organism was initially identified by veterinarians around 1998—about two years after the introduction of Roundup Ready soybeans, which is one of the staple feeds. The vets were puzzled by sudden high reproductive failure in animals. While sporadic at first, the phenomenon has continued to increase in severity.

"We [recently] received a call from a county extension educator, indicating that he has a dairy that has a 70 percent abortion rate. You put that on top of 10 to 15 percent of infertility to start with, and you're not going to have a dairy very long. In fact, a lot of our veterinarians are now becoming very concerned about the prospects for being able to have replacement animals," Dr. Huber says.

The cause-effect relationship between high reproductive failure and this new microbial entity has been established, but the research has not yet been published. The reason for the delay is because they really do not know what the organism is…

"It's not a fungus. It's not bacteria. It's not a mycoplasma or a virus – it's about the same size of a small virus; you have to magnify it from 38 to 40,000 times. They have pictures of it… You can see the interactions with it. They can now culture it. It's self-replicating and cultured. It doesn't grow very well by itself.

Like most of our very fastidious organisms, it tends to die out after three or four sub-culturing, but grows very well with other organisms. If you have yeast, bacteria, or a fungus in the culture, this entity grows very well.

We're waiting on getting enough material, pure material, for DNA analysis, but also looking at some other possibilities… Until you can put a name on it, all it does is create a great deal of speculations."

What is known is that it's an entirely new entity, previously unknown to science, and it's definitely found in genetically engineered corn and soybeans. It's also been established that it causes infertility and miscarriage in cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, and poultry.

"We can anticipate with that broad spectrum of animal species, which is extremely unusual, that it will also be with humans," Dr. Huber says. "We've seen an increasing frequency of miscarriage and a dramatic increase in infertility in human populations in just the last eight to 10 years."

Why is the USDA Ignoring Such Urgent Warnings?

Dr. Huber received a response from Dr. Parham, head of the USDA-APHIS, assuring him that "all of the decisions that the USDA makes are based on peer-reviewed science." Dr. Huber responded with another letter, pointing out 130 published peer-reviewed articles documenting all of his concerns.

"I asked if they could provide me a peer-reviewed scientific study that would justify the regulation of those products," he says. "I'm still waiting for that. I haven't found anyone that can produce that type of document.

… I did receive a call from Risk Management about two weeks after writing the letter, asking if I could provide details, because there wasn't anything in the letter. The letter was written to a politician. I didn't want to disclose names of scientists or details because of the retaliatory effect that we see with anyone researching this area – they can be either fired from their job or their program shut down. That's a real fact."

The Red-Tape Nightmare of GE Safety Research

Crazy as it sounds, researchers cannot perform whatever safety studies on GE foods they see fit because the way the red tape has been put in place, they could easily be found guilty of breaking the law by performing research on a patented product.

"If you read the technology agreement that the farmer has to sign, he can't even do research on his own farm to compare whether this crop or this product is better than another one without violating the terms of that technology agreement," Dr. Huber explains. "It's essentially a closed system to guarantee success."

… A group of us that are working together on the new entity causing reproductive failure… have obtained private funding, and have taken it to experts in the areas of specific diseases and tried to encourage them to work on it. In the past year, they have been prohibited from working on it by their universities or department heads…

That's one of the reasons why we needed that contact with the USDA officials, in hopes that we could share the problems that concern them, that they would recognize the serious nature of this, and that we could obtain their support and use their resources for funding of individuals and specialists, so that we could overcome that barrier that seems to be there for anyone working on genetically engineered crops that might indicate that they're not quite everything they were cut out to be.

It's almost as though you have to belong to that religion, if you're going to do any research or publish your research."

Obviously, such as setup will produce highly biased and prejudiced results, and can easily obfuscate the truth…

GE Food and Premature Aging

Another astonishing effect of this brand new mystery organism associated with GE crops is profound premature aging. Research done in Iowa three years ago showed that prime beef from a two-year old cow had to be downgraded to that from a 10-year old cow!

So what effect will eating this GE-fed beef have on you? No one knows. But I would bet it won't make you any healthier… And if animals are any indication, it could spell disaster for your overall health and fertility.

"When the veterinarians wanted to find the source for this [brand new] entity, they went to the feed. The first place where they found high concentrations was in the soybean mill. Since then we've found it in the corn. We find it in silage. Primarily in high concentrations only where we have a genetically engineered crop that has glyphosate applied to it. Those are the crops that we also see high Goss's wilt, high SDS. They are all correlated together in that relationship.

The other place you see it, though, is where they have used the manure that has a high glyphosate residue level in it. The manure also has very high concentrations, if the chickens or the animals that have been fed these feeds with high concentrations. When that manure is applied to pastures and cattle graze on it, we also see high infertility rates there.

It occurs in the placenta, in the fetus, in the sperm and inseminators.

Stating that it takes twice as much semen now to get a conception and as many as four to eight inseminations rather than the typical 1.2 to 1.5 for a dairy because of that reduced fertility… I was on a plane with a bull breeder who commented that 40 percent of his bulls had to be pulled out of service, because they can't get conception anymore."

But that's not all. Glyphosate can also disrupt a number of other biological systems aside from your reproductive system.

" … When you have a very potent chelator, it disrupts all kinds of systems, not just the EPSPs system that we find in certain microorganisms and plants, but also all of the other systems involved in liver function, blood function, and hormonal function. They all go right back to that basic nutrient process that keeps all systems functional," Dr. Huber explains.

Glyphosate is actually a very potent endocrine disruptor that can affect your:
•Endocrine system
•Thyroid function
•Pituitary function

Important Summary

As Dr. Huber said

"When future historians come to write about our era they are not going to write about the tons of chemicals we did or didn't apply. When it comes to glyphosate they are going to write about our willingness to sacrifice our children and to jeopardize our very existence by risking the sustainability of our agriculture; all based upon failed promises and flawed science.

The only benefit is that it affects the bottom-line of a few companies. There's no nutritional value."

What You Can Do To Get Involved

There's no doubt in my mind that genetically engineered foods are one of the absolute gravest dangers we fact today as a species. I urge you to educate yourself on this issue and become an active participant in getting GE foods OUT of our food supply.

If you don't already have a copy of the Non-GMO Shopping Guide, please print one out and refer to it often. It can help you identify and avoid foods with GMOs. You can also download the free iPhone application that is available in the iTunes store. You can find it by searching for ShopNoGMO in the applications.

Also don't let Secretary Vilsack ignore this new problem of a micro-fungal pathogen that may be responsible for killing plants, animals and possibly humans!

To quote Dr. Huber's letter to Secretary Vilsack:

"Based on a review of the data, [this dangerous new pathogen] is widespread, very serious, and is in much higher concentrations in Roundup Ready (RR) soybeans and corn—suggesting a link with the RR gene or more likely the presence of Roundup. This organism appears NEW to science! ... I believe the threat we are facing from this pathogen is unique and of a high-risk status. In layman's terms, it should be treated as an emergency."

Do your part to protect your health and the health of your family by avoiding processed foods loaded with GM components and eating whole, live foods that contain the nutrients your body needs to thrive.

Always buy USDA Organic products when possible, or buy your fresh produce and meat from local farmers, and especially avoid food products containing anything related to corn or soy that are not organic, as any foods containing these two non-organic ingredients now are virtually guaranteed to be genetically engineered.

If you live in California, volunteer to gather petition signatures to help support the California GMO Labeling Ballot Initiative. If you live outside of California, please donate to help support this Initiative.

Keep Fighting for Labeling of Genetically Engineered Foods

While California Prop. 37 failed to pass last November by a very narrow margin, the fight for GMO labeling is far from over. The field-of-play has now moved to the state of Washington, where the people's initiative 522, "The People's Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act," will require food sold in retail outlets to be labeled if it contains genetically engineered ingredients.

Remember, as with CA Prop. 37, they need support of people like YOU to succeed. Prop. 37 failed with a very narrow margin simply because we didn't have the funds to counter the massive ad campaigns created by the No on 37 camp, led by Monsanto and other major food companies. Let's not allow Monsanto and its allies to confuse and mislead the people of Washington and Vermont as they did in California. So please, I urge you to get involved and help in any way you can.
•No matter where you live in the United States, please donate money to these labeling efforts through the Organic Consumers Fund.
•Sign up to learn more about how you can get involved by visiting Yeson522.com!
•For timely updates on issues relating to these and other labeling initiatives, please join the Organic Consumers Association on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter.
•Talk to organic producers and stores and ask them to actively support the Washington initiative._________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

June 19, Melbourne – A new research paper [1], published today in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Agricultural Sustainability confirms that genetically modified (GM) crops have lower yields than non-GM crops. It also corroborates previous studies showing that GM crops have led to an increase in overall pesticide use.

This new research, lead by molecular biologist Professor Jack Heinemann of the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, is based on compiled data on agricultural productivity in North America and Western Europe over the last 50 years. These two regions have systematically taken very different approaches to the introduction of GM crops and land management practices. The United States (US) was the first country to plant commercial GM seeds in 1996 and aggresively adopted them. They are still the bigger producers by far. In Europe GM crops have remained uncommon due to high levels of concern amongst consumers and only a small amount of GM crops have been planted.

« Many studies show that GM crops have not kept their promises. They are harmful to the environment, risky to consumers and unsustainable for farmers. They don’t answer in any way the challenges the world is facing for future production of food.» Scott Kinnear, Director of the Safe Food Foundation, said.

« More than 90% of cotton crops and about 10 % of canola crops grown in Australia are already genetically engineered. Commercial varieties of GM wheat could be authorised as soon as 2015 [2]. Australia is at a crossroad as far as the use of GM crops in agriculture is concerned. It is now time to decide if we want to follow the US example leading to higher pesticide use and lower productivity, or if we prefer to adopt the European high performance, lower pesticide agricultural model and turn away from GM crops. » he added.

ABC Radio The World Today ‘Anti-GM campaigners sound alarm over new French study’

Mornings with Jon Faine ‘GMO study sparks cancer concern’

The first animal feeding trial studying the lifetime effects of exposure to Roundup tolerant GM corn, and Roundup, the world’s best-selling weedkiller, shows that levels currently considered safe can cause tumours and multiple organ damage and lead to premature death in laboratory rats, according to research published online today by the scientific journal Food and Chemical Toxicology.

Researchers found that rats fed on a diet containing NK603 Roundup tolerant GM corn, or given water containing Roundup at levels permitted in drinking water and GM crops in the US, died earlier than rats fed on a standard diet. They suffered mammary tumours and severe liver and kidney damage.

The paper, “Long term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerant genetically modified corn” reports on a study conducted by a team of scientists led by molecular biologist and endocrinologist Professor Gilles-Eric Seralini, co-director of the Risk Quality and Sustainable Environment Unit at the University of Caen, France, who is an authority on studies into the health impact of GMO’s and pesticides. It was supported by independent research organisation, CRIIGEN.

Dr Michael Antoniou, molecular biologist at Kings College, London, and a member of the CRIIGEN scientific council, says:

“This is the most thorough research ever published into the health effects of GM food crops and the herbicide Roundup on rats. It shows an extraordinary number of tumours developing earlier and more aggressively – particularly in female animals. I am shocked by the extreme negative health impacts.”

“The rat has long been used as a surrogate for human toxicity. All new pharmaceutical, agricultural and household substances are, prior to their approval, tested on rats. This is as good an indicator as we can expect that the consumption of GM corn and the herbicide Roundup, impacts seriously on human health.”
(see link for rest of article)._________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

Last week the Connecticut Senate passed a heroic GMO labeling bill by a vote to 35 to 1. Tragically, in response, Governor Malloy (D-CT) and Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden) intentionally forced a weak amendment on a House version of the bill that gutted any serious labeling of GMOs in the state. It's outrageous that for the second year in a row that Gov. Malloy and Speaker Sharkey have worked together to stop serious efforts to get a strong GMO labeling bill passed in Connecticut.

For the past 2 years activists on the ground in Connecticut have been working to reach a compromise with Governor Malloy and negotiated with his office in good faith. Now, he has now shown us his true colors. Last Thursday, before any of the members of the House had a chance to read the Amendments to the GMO labeling bill provided by Governor Malloy’s office, Speaker Sharkey called the bill for a vote in the middle of the night when they thought no one was watching, and it passed. But, we were watching!...'

You can still email Malloy and Sharkey, two despicable specimens of greed and corruption, and add a nasty comment, even if you don't live in the States._________________'And he (the devil) said to him: To thee will I give all this power, and the glory of them; for to me they are delivered, and to whom I will, I give them'. Luke IV 5-7.

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